Strawberry Romance
by FreakingOutGirl
Summary: Chap 1 - White Day is a moment to return affection, normally under the form of a gift, a gift from love and devotion, and when Ichigo has some problems with that he has to accept support from the most unexpected places, because, in the end, his auburn haired girl deserved it all... Chap 2 - Asking someone's hand is not so easy as one would think, as Ichigo will find out...
1. Chapter 1 White Day

**White Day**

* * *

The carrot haired boy reached the classroom with a weird trepidation in his stomach.

He was not nervous… Kurosaki Ichigo _could not_, simply, be nervous over a simple matter like this… Or was he?

He felt the wood of the door under his fingers, the smooth surface in nothing easing his… _weird feelings…_ yes, because it could not, absolutely, be nerves!

He sighed and backed away from the door…

Who was he trying to deceive? He was scared out of his mind! What would other people think if they saw him do something like that?

But he loved her, there was no doubt in his heart about that… _damn, they were a couple already and everyone knew_… then why such a simple gesture was so hard?

He remembered his sister Yuzu's advice, this morning, when she saw his pale face.

_"Why do you like her, Ichi-nii?"_

He scowled when she asked, but his sister replied he should think about that if he was getting cold feet. And that's how he caught himself doing exactly that…

He knew what his friends would say…

* * *

**_"She is so hot… look at that body, those legs and those…"_ **Keigo's voice appeared in his mind, being squashed seconds later for his improper words. A part of his mind, the one ruled by teenager hormones, knew he was right, she had a dream body, like he knew every girl wanted to have. However, she never used that as a way to get what she wanted. Her blouses never showed her cleavage, her skirts were normally long and her shorts were used with high socks. He loved that part of her, how she was so shy of her beautiful image, how she never thought she was good enough, when she was precisely too good for her own good… and his own heart health.

* * *

**_"She looks older than her age… just look into her wise eyes…"_** Mizuiro's voice echoed, accompanied by the sound of his fingers typing in his phone, showing his predilection of older woman and, this time, Ichigo didn't shut the voice up. He was kind of right… He already noticed it, whenever she looked at him when they were alone, he could see behind the brown of her eyes, a wise beyond her years. He didn't know if it was because of her past, having to take care of herself from a young age or the sacrifices she had to do throughout the years, for her friends' safety. People always thought she was childish, but he knew better; he was a witness to her mature nature and her concern about her friends; he was a witness to her tears, shed for their pain and never for hers.

* * *

**_"She looks beautiful against a sunset, deserving a painting of mine… Yes, and I could include some Chappy!" _**Rukia's voice was yelling in his ears, when he tried to push her out of his mind. Stupid midget with her stupid drawings and her stupid rabbit! But, he had to agree with her… Orihime was a sight to be held… her long hair was soft and shiny, making him want to fall asleep while touching it... ok, that was a bit perverted _(stupid Keigo was returning even after being squashed!),_ her smile was sweet and made his heart turn into a hammer inside his chest, and the worst, she had no idea her influence over him… Sometimes he caught himself, during classes, mesmerized by her profile, observing the long curve of her back, her small nose and perk lips, how her eyes were always so shiny and wide with enthusiasm…

* * *

**_"She likes cute things, and is always helping everyone, be it a stray puppy or a homeless person…"_ **Sado's deep voice sounded in Ichigo's head and he nodded with a small smile. Yes, Orihime's love for cute things only rivaled Sado's and Rukia's… which was kind of a weird sight, imagining the three of them inside a teddy bear shop, cooing over the fluffy stuffs. Not for the last time, he reproached her for helping stranger on the street, she was too kind and some of those individuals were not… He was always afraid when she left her work at night, so he started accompanying her, sometimes frustrating the independent woman… Without speaking about the last time she tried to adopt a puppy and her landlord put her foot down and she had to return it, crying all the way with the small animal in her arms, until Ichigo sighed and called his father asking if they could have a dog… Yes, her sacrifice and want to help sometimes pushed him towards the verge of insanity, but remembering people's grateful expressions towards her or how his new dog destroyed his father's slippers made all that worth it.

* * *

**_"Yeah, yeah, yeah, she is all that stuff. But she can fight! She is at a black belt level. So, don't mess with her or she will kick your ass!"_** Tatsuki's voice scoffed and he rolled his eyes. Of course he knew she was a greater fighter, she was always the first to support him during a fight, they started training together a few months back and she could already surprise him with some of her attacks, leaving both of them proud with her evolution. She was a healer, obviously, but she was so much more, she could fight to defend her friends, she could surprise everyone with her desire to protect them, sometimes putting her own life in peril, but never thinking twice if she saw someone in peril, jumping into the fight, with her fairies and her fists, ready to kick, punch and reject whatever danger arose. He hated and loved that about her: he hated how she would neglect her safety for others, noticing she was hurt only after taking care of her friends, and he loved how she smiled after a victory, how she would hug him and kiss him and then back away shyly, biting her lower lip with blush spreading over her cheeks. Yes, his girl was a badass and he loved it!

* * *

_**"You can't forget about the most important thing, Kurosaki! She is smart! Intelligent, much more than you, obviously, you stupid shinigami… Seriously, I don't know why she is with you… Tatsuki always says…"** Shut up, annoying Quincy!_ Ichigo scoffed to the air, imagining Ishida's face in a first degree meeting with his fist. I know she is smart, she likes to read, not only fantasy books, but really deeps ones, like the classics everyone ran from… even with her wild imagination, she was able of focusing and learning, even after a night awake fighting hollows… She liked to explain things he couldn't grasp, she made that so easy he was starting to get addicted… She liked to read poetry, and in those moments he would let his head fall into her lap and close his eyes, her voice lulling him into a soft slumber… feeling her fingers massage his head and humming in appreciation... And he couldn't stop his own mind from echoing Ishida's words: how could she love someone like him? A brawly guy, always scowling and losing control over small things, that cursed and yelled and punched his father in a daily basis…

* * *

Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes and letting his head fall against the wall. He could feel the small wrapped present inside his closed fingers, almost burning.

**_C'mon, he was being stupid… The only person behind that door that mattered would never scoff at him, she would never laugh at his simple present… She was a ray of hope, the smile that chased the clouds away and made the sun shine in his inner and outer world._**

He opened his eyes and adopting a resolute stance, opened the classroom door, meeting immediately the eyes he was searching for. She looked worried, probably feeling his nervous reiatsu and his waiting time outside. However, when he winked at her, she blushed and smiled so big, it looked like she would her face in half. And that smile, more than anything, made his blood rush and his thoughts cloud, all the voices inside his head silencing in face of that glorious sight.

He walked toward her, not speaking with anyone, and presented her with the small wrapped gift. He could feel everyone's eyes over them, and for some moments wondered why he didn't give it to her when they were alone… _Because she gave you chocolates in front of the classroom, even blushing and stuttering… Don't you want her to feel that warm feeling you felt?_

Orihime's fingers trembled when touching the gift and opening it slowly, she squealed in delight, observing the small music box in form of a truffle. She hugged him and he hugged back, lifting her from the floor, forgetting all about their colleagues in their haze.

"Happy White Day, Orihime…" he whispered, smiling and inhaling her strawberry scent.

"Happy White Day, Kurosaki-kun… Ichigo…" she replied, reverently, feeling his strong arms support her, like she knew they would always do.

* * *

**Happy Valentine's Day, my dears! This is a small gift to all of you! Lots of hugs and kisses for you and your loved ones!**

**I now White Day is in March, but there are tons of Orihime's fics in Valentine's Day and since it is in the White Day that the guys give their gifts I used it...**


	2. Chapter 2 The Proposal

**In one of my stories, I wrote a scene between Ichigo and Sado before the shinigami proposed to Orihime, but not scene of the question, so here it is, first the scene between Ichigo and Sado, if you didn't read my ****_Knowing the Past, Writing the Future_**** and then, the question per se.**

* * *

**The Proposal**

_The sun was almost hidden behind the mountains and the orange glow was coloring the river, shining in his course._

_Two men walked side by side. One, a big amount of muscles and dark hair, with soundless steps that really didn't belonged to such a huge frame. The other a tall and thin man, with hair the color of the setting sun, that was kicking every stone in his path._

_The sun was quickly disappearing, leaving the world under the shadows' domain. The orange haired man now with his hair looking like a brownish color, bitten his lip, squirmed with his left hand inside his pocket and finally opened his mouth._

_"Chad…" Ichigo started, grabbing his companion attention. The gigantic man knew his best friend was nervous, but thought it was only because of Orihime's surprise birthday party being organized by the triple threat of Rangiku, Rukia and Tatsuki. The woman was expected in her apartment in an hour, after her classes ended, and until then, Sado knew that Ichigo would be grumbling against whatever the women made to surprise the gentle healer. He just hoped it wouldn't involve anything too embarrassing like Rangiku's first plan of having half naked shinigamis dancing to her, to which Ichigo's veins almost exploded at the same time._

_Sado looked up from the ground and watched Ichigo stop and fidget with his pockets. Now he was curious; his friends' nervous restlessness couldn't be only because of the party, they haven't seen what they did yet._

_The moon was already shining over them, so he could see Ichigo taking a small blue velvet box from his pocket and opening it. Inside was a beautiful silver ring with gemstones in a form of a six petal flower that shined under the moonlight. Chad looked at it with his mouth wide open and wondered for how long Ichigo searched for that ring._

_"I'm going to ask her tonight!" he said, in a strained voice, with his body rigid like an iron bar. The Mexican saw how his friend was nearing a nervous collapse and put a hand over his shoulder._

_"Do you love her?" he asked and Ichigo looked at him like he was insane._

_"Of course! How can I not love her? She is so perfect, so strong minded, so selfless, so courageous, so protective, so naïve, so beautiful, so so so… Every time I see her it's like I can't stop smiling, which can be really irritating! It's like my heart is going to burst, do you know?" while he talked, Ichigo's voice became more loud and vivacious and he started waving his hands trying to show how his feelings for her couldn't be kept inside his body. Sado watched his show, in an impassive stance, with his hands inside his pockets. Ichigo trailed in front of him, telling of episodes with Orihime when she would show him just how amazing she was and how a lucky bastard he was for gaining her love. When the orange haired man finally regained his senses and remembered he was in the middle of a road, yelling about his private feelings to anyone who could hear him, he blushed to the root of his hair and scowled._

_Sado Yasutora was no longer with a blank expression. He was smiling and with a deep voice, that resonated through Ichigo's mind, he said:_

_"Then, after all you said, why are you so afraid she will say no?"_

_"I'm not afraid…" Ichigo said immediately. "That much…" he added after an awkward second of silence._

_Sado snorted with suppressed laugh and Ichigo scowled at his reaction._

_"She will say yes, she will yell the yes, for God's sake! So please, promise me you two will be happy together, you won't act like a reckless idiot and worry her nonetheless, you will protect each other until your last breath and you will give me small nephews and nieces that I can spoil with teddy bears and toys!" Chad said, and when he closed his mouth Ichigo blushed once more. His friend was not very talkative but when he was, he could always bring a ray of hope into his heart._

_"If I act like a reckless idiot you can punch me all you want! If something happens to me you will be the one to protect her and make sure she is happy even if I'm not with her, do you get it? I trust her powers and I know she can protects herself, but I also know that if something happened to her I would be a stupid and brainless idiot that would try a suicide mission just to be with her again and I don't want that girl to even try that, are we clear? Promise me, Sado Yasutora, my friend Chad, that you will be beside her when she needs it… when we both need it!" Ichigo requested, with his eyes shining with a fierce force. Chad smiled at the correct use for the first time of his name and grabbing the hand Ichigo extended, squeezed those fingers that saved him, so many times, with his protective blade._

_"I promise, Ichigo! I will protect you and Orihime until my last breath!" he said in reverent tone._

_"And I will protect you and Orihime until my last breath! For my family… for our family!" Ichigo replied and Sado felt his lungs burst with proud. He was part of that family the substitute shinigami was forming, starting this night. He, who always lived by himself, who always walked alone between his pears, had a family! A dysfunctional, crazy and totally freakish family, but a family nonetheless! And he would surely protect them until his last breath got released from his lips! _

* * *

Ichigo was tired. The work was starting to have a toll in his system, now that his first big capture was nearing. He wanted to show he was more than a brawly guy; he wanted to show he was there to make justice and protect not only his family and friends, but all the people that needed him.

He found Chad waiting for him nearing the right corner next to the Police Station; he was humming, looking peacefully to the orange sky, where the sun was starting its descending.

He nodded his head as a greeting, followed by his bulky friend's personal brand, his thumbs up. They started walking, Ichigo noticing the small bag between his friend's big fingers.

"Is that Orihime's present?" he asked, curiosity winning over his silence and nervous feelings.

"Yes, I made her a copy of her Shun Shun Rikka fairies as plush toys, I hope she likes it…" Chad said, like it was an everyday thing for a guy like him to do plush fairies. Ichigo shook his shoulders: for him it was really an everyday thing…

But then, he started thinking about his own gift and his nervousness increased: he was so screwed… he felt his heart hammering inside his chest with each step, he felt his sweaty palms touch repeatedly the small velvet box, he felt like he was having a syncope! He had to tell Chad! His friend would have a good advice… he hoped… so he wouldn't screw this night over and make Orihime answer negatively to his question.

He observed how Chad spoke calmly, his deep voice calming his heart and mind, making him think rationally for the first time since he bought that ring, two weeks ago. He couldn't sleep at night, trying to figure out the best way to ask her… Maybe he should request her company in a midnight stroll after the party, maybe he should put the ring inside her glass, maybe he should make his dog give it to her… God! Asking someone's hand in marriage was starting to look harder than defeat Aizen! But this time, he didn't want to ask Chad's advice, this crucial part was something he had to come up with, it was something that should intricately connected with only him and Orihime… But what for crying out loud?

"Thank you, I was almost having a heart attack…" Ichigo said under his breath, his cheeks still a rosy color, without looking his friend in the eye.

"No problem, and by the way, I was being sincere about the kids…" he said, and Ichigo grumbled, reddening once again.

The party already started to everyone else with the exception of an auburn haired girl, whose face only lightened when the two men knocked on her door, even if it was Tatsuki that opened it and ushered them inside.

"Happy birthday, Orihime!" Sado said, kissing her cheeks softly. She smiled happily, hugging him quickly. When the big man stepped back, giving space to Ichigo to step forward, the woman's face split into a blinding smile and it was like all the noise around her turned into an indistinct buzz and the only thing that mattered in that room was the man in front of her. His cheeks were red and she wondered what might have caused that.

"Happy birthday…" he whispered, kissing her softly on the lips. He snaked his arms around her frame and brought her against his chest, inhaling her sweet and familiar scent, it smelt like home… a home he wanted to create with her in a near future… And Chad's words echoed inside his head and he tensed, stepping back from Orihime's arms.

The apartment was small; however, it was able of containing shinigamis, humans, a Healer, a Fullbringer and a Quincy without exploding or calling the police's attention. Ichigo wondered if someone called the police how he would react, especially if it was one of his obnoxious colleagues.

Each ten minutes Chad would notice Ichigo touch his pocket nervously and he had to hide his smile, imagining all the sceneries running through his friend's mind.

"Hey, is Ichigo okay?" Tatsuki asked, approaching the Mexican man, with Ishida's arm around her waist. Her boyfriend scoffed and she sent him a reproachful smile.

"He looks kind of… sick…" Rukia said, hearing the woman's words, worried about what might happening.

Sado shook his shoulders, in a non-committedly way, however, something in his demeanor showed that something was going on and his friends ganged around him, like scavengers around dead meat.

The gigantic man was not a coward person, not by far, but seeing the deathly looks Rukia and Tatsuki were sending his way was making him rethink his ideas…

And then, that's when it happened…

"_Damn, I want to ask you to marry me, okay?_" Ichigo yelled, over a surprising silence. Where was the music that was blaring until a second ago? They looked around and saw Rangiku's feet intertwined with some electric wires.

_"Ooops…"_

* * *

He was trying to take her outside. He couldn't wait any minute longer, he had to ask her, but she was worried about being a good host; she wanted to serve everyone's drinks and make sure the plates were always filled, even if Tatsuki, Rukia and Rangiku were taking care of that. Ichigo tried to persuade her, beg and even used the excuse he was hearing a cat meowing that needed her help, but every time someone called her, someone asked where this or that was, someone told her an endless story… He was turning insane! He was going to do it!

_"Orihime, please…"_

**"Where is the beer, Orihime?"**

_"I need to talk to you"_

"In the kitchen counter, Renji-kun… Sorry, Ichigo-kun, what were you saying?"

_"It's serious, can we go outside?"_

**"Orihime, can you ask the Captain to make some ice cubes?"**

_"I really need to talk to you…"_

"Toshiro-kun…"

**"I'm not a damn refrigerator, okay?"**

_"Seriously, I'm going to yell it!"_

**"Orihime, do you know where I can find those cranberry sweets?"**

_"I'm going insane in here… Please…"_

**"Where is the music control?"**

"Over there! Rangiku-chan, can you grab the control, please?"

_"Damn, I want to ask you to marry me, okay?"_

And she finally heard him, just like everyone in the room…

"Jeez, you didn't have to be so loud! Just ask her to go outside and pop the question…" Renji snickered.

"_That's what I was trying to do for the past thirty minutes if you weren't always calling her!_" Ichigo yelled, his cheeks so red they could almost feel the heat coming from his skin.

And then, he remembered the dumbstruck woman behind him, with eyes so wide she looked like a doe caught in the headlights.

"_Orihime…_" he whispered, feeling all the color of his cheeks disappearing at seeing her expression. "_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… yell or… if you don't want to, you can say, you know, no… I won't be mad… Really, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked…_" Ichigo sputtered, feeling everyone's eyes glued to his back. He turned around and started walking to the door, wishing with all his strength that a hole could open under his feet.

"_Yes…"_ a small voice said behind him. He stopped, afraid he heard wrong. _"Yes…"_ this time the voice was stronger and he started turning around.

"_**Yes!**_" the voice yelled and when he faced her, she ran towards him, jumping and snaking her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, like a koala in a tree.

He howled and hugged her back, spinning around and around, laughing together with her, like some madmen.

"Man, he really had the guts…" someone said and then, all of their friends started laughing and clapping together, some wolf whistling at their kissing.

"Are you happy?" Ichigo asked, when they parted their lips to face each other.

"Like I've never been!" she said, smiling like a child in Christmas morning.

"Good… but should I remember you that you are wearing a skirt while surrounding my waist with your legs? I don't want those bastards eyeing my future wife's beautiful legs…" he said, and Orihime jumped to the floor with a superhuman speed, blushing to the roots of her head.

"I like the sound of that…" she whispered.

"What? That the guys are looking at your legs?"

"Ichigo-kun, you're mean! Of course not… The sound of the word _wife_…" she said, looking at him through her eyelashes, her cheeks a colorful red. He beamed, his eyes shining and his heart calmer than he remember it ever being.

"_I love you so much…_" he whispered reverently and she hugged him again.

"C'mon, show us the rock!" Tatsuki yelled and Ichigo cursed under his breath, while stepping away from Orihime and pulling something out of his pocket. When he opened the box, the girls beamed and the boys rolled their eyes, but the only person that mattered was the one with the happy tears running through her face, while he inserted the ring in her finger.

Ichigo kissed her hand, and cleaned her tears.

"Don't cry for me, ever again…" he asked and she nodded, her wide smile erasing everyone in that room.

There was just the two of them in that room, their eyes were only for each other and even their hearts beat with the same frequency.

_"We will be together…"_

_"Forever and ever…"_

* * *

**_I laughed so hard imagining Ichigo's attempts at grabbing her attention, poor guy..._**

**_What do you think?_**


End file.
